Swiss cyclist Nicole Hanselmann had surged into an early lead in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race in Belgium on Saturday, but was forced to stop on the side of the road when she caught up with the men's race - which had set off 10 minutes earlier.
Concerned that the female cyclists would be blocked by their male counterpart's support vehicles, the women's race was neutralised when Hanselmann, of the Bigla Pro Cycling team, could see the back of the men's ambulances up ahead.
"I attacked after 7km, and was alone in the break for around 30km but then an awkward moment happened and I almost saw the back of the men's peloton," she wrote on Instagram.
"Maybe the other women and me were too fast or the men to slow."
Once the race got back underway, Hanselmann was given a head-start to regain her lead but she eventually crossed the line in 74th place.
Following the race, the 27-year-old told Cycling News that she was happy with the result.
"I got the gap again to start with on my own and I was just stood 10 metres ahead of the bunch waiting and I got the gap again and then they caught me at the end of the first cobbled section," she said.
Chantal Blaak of the Boels-Dolmans team took out first place in the 123 km race, which stretches from Gent to Ninove.
